I've been dealing with a chronic knee injury for about 10 years. I've been with my husband for over 11 years, so he's been dealing with my knee as long as I have. The other day, I had an episode where my knee really wasn't feeling well -- it was swollen, painful, and hard to walk on. When I recited for my husband my list of reasons why I have knee problems (I'm 6'3", I used bad jumping mechanics while playing volleyball for 15 years, my muscles are tight, my hips aren't straight, etc.), my husband looked at me and said, "Yes, but that's the beauty of the human body -- in spite of all of your reasons, you can still make do."

I've had coaches who spoke of "paralysis by analysis," and I think that can be true about a lot of things in life. I've been so focused on the problem of my knee injury that I've been making the solution seem overly complex. Yes, I do have all those issues that affect my knee, but there's a part of me that's stuck in the injury. Emotionally, I've been holding myself back and using my knee as the excuse.

Is this human? Yeah. But there comes a time when you have to say, "I'm not going to let this injury, excess weight, bad relationship, or difficult time be my reason for stopping myself." My knee really does hurt and I'm doing the best I can to make it better, but my attitude about it has slowly crept into other areas of my life -- not good. I've given this situation a bigger life than it really should have. Remember, the power of the mind is massive. The mind can dominate our bodies and emotions. When we let it control us, we give over that power to the very thing we're trying to improve.

So, I'm just going to stop. Yes, my knee hurts. So what? Is it life and death? No. Can I work at it? Yes. Should it be holding me back? No.

Let's say you've been struggling with your weight, and now you're consumed by this struggle. Day and night, all you think about is that you're walking around with this weight you can't lose. This circumstance has gained control over your life. Let it go. Stop obsessing about the one thing you obsess about. Start by waking up each day and making a list of all the things you're grateful for, and all the positives about yourself and your life.

Second, get things done. What needs to happen to improve your situation? If it's something truly out of your control, then move on. If so-and-so doesn't love you back, or you have a size 12 foot, you can't do anything about that. Where can you put your energies to good use instead?

If it's something you can control, make a plan. Create a strategy and commit to it. Do you want to be healthier and lose some pounds? Attack this goal intelligently, not emotionally. You'll need to exercise and eat well. How many days a week are you planning on exercising? What different activities do you want to do, and on which days? What foods can you eat? Write it all down.

Lastly, clear your mind. Once a day, even if it's just for 30 seconds, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and reconfirm to your heart and body that you will do this. Tell yourself that you are strong, and envision the you that you're becoming. See it. So much of our health is a conscious decision -- sometimes we just have to get out of the way to make it happen.